Talk Back: Tell Us Your Election Stories

Ever notice anything strange around town when elections are coming up?

Our latest podcast, “Wildfires, Cops, and Keggers,” looks into the odd by-products of electoral politics — that is, not just which politicians get elected, but what kind of below-the-radar shenanigans happen before (and sometimes after) an election, usually inspired by how an incumbent’s incentives are lined up. Maybe property taxes dropped in the run-up to an election, only to spike once an incumbent had won another term. Maybe more cops and firemen were hired during campaign season.

Given that many of these election-cycle fluctuations occur in less-scrutizined local elections, we want to hear from you any interesting examples you’ve witnessed. Tell us your election stories in the comments below!

I would love to see how you could tease out the effects of a foolish act during a campaign. I would love to see how this incident convinced people to switch their votes and even more importantly, how it excited people to vote. Please note Elmont is perhaps the most diverse hamlet on Long Island consisting of various races, religions, and cultures. Since Elmont is located outside of NYC then it is the perfect petri dish of Urban v. Suburb mentalities. This race is exciting because it is developing into a real soap opera. The only problem is I would love to see the triggers. You know it is crazy when you have Black Jewish Republicans battling White Muslim Democrats. Meanwhile, you have the Asian and the Latino population in the middle. It is crazy, Muslims, Hindus, Christians and Jews in a potpourri of a modern culture. This is a micro-economics dream.

Plus, they plan on building a major Casino in the area (Belmont Racetrack)…and no one knows exactly how will it effect the area? Will it be prosperous or will it lead to Sodom and Gomorrah. Please help the saga continues?

In 2004 I attended the neighborhood GOP caucus to introduce a resolution or maybe to make a point. [Think of what was going on legislatively and in the executive branch at the time.]

My resolution: The GOP unequivocally supports the Bill of Rights and those who defend the Bill of Rights.

There was a bit of aimless discussion that ended when someone in the room shouted, “The ACLU is a bunch of commies!” Silence followed for an uncomfortable few seconds, and the vote was called.

A brave stranger and I voted for the resolution. Everyone else focused their attention on their shoes and abstained.

[By going to the GOP caucus, I found myself on the organization's calling list and couldn't stop the pestering phone calls that went on for several years. Eventually I lost my patience and said to a phone bank woman, "I'd put needles in my eyes before I'd vote for anyone in your party." No more phone calls.]

Well that sounds constructive. I’m glad democracy is alive and well in my home state.
Speaking of which…
In 2004, 2005, and 2006 I had to vote absentee from college. I asked my mother to look at my name on the voter roll when she checked in to see if my ballot had been counted. All three years, it was in the trash, unopened. When asked why it was there the judges said it was invalid, when asked why, they had no reason at all, and then counted it. I’ll merely note that the popular party in my town was well aware that I tended to not vote for it.

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Well that sounds constructive. I’m glad to know my home state is temperate and prudential in their democracy.
In 2004, 2005, and 2006 I voted absentee from college. I had my mother look at my name on the voter rolls when she voted to see if I had been marked absentee. All three years I had not and my ballot was in the trash, unopened. When asked why, the judges said it was invalid. When pressed for a reason, they had none at all, then counted it.
I will merely note that the popular party in my town knew I tended to not vote for it.

In 2004, 2005, and 2006 I voted absentee from college. I had my mother look at my name on the voter rolls when she voted to see if I had been marked absentee. All three years I had not and my ballot was in the trash, unopened. When asked why, the judges said it was invalid. When pressed for a reason, they had none at all, then counted it.
I will merely note that the popular party in my town knew I tended to not vote for it.